East Africa Wildlife Research Fellow

How to Apply

Applicants should send the following materials with their application:

• Cover letter describing your qualifications related to the position and research accomplishments
• Curriculum vitae
• Contact information for three professional references
• Two representative publications
• Application materials must be uploaded as a single file. If your file exceeds the maximum size limit or you are unable to merge files, please upload your cover letter and CV only and email the remaining documents to Dr. Bilal Butt ([email protected])

Applications are welcomed and encouraged from all qualified individuals regardless of background and identity. To apply, please complete the application on the U-M Careers site. A one-page cover letter is required for consideration for this position and should be attached as the first page of your resume. The cover letter should address your specific interest in the position and outline experience that is directly related to this position.

Summary

The School for Environment and Sustainability is seeking a postdoctoral fellow to work with the Pastoralism Lab (PLab) to research and conduct statistical analysis on pastoral livestock movements and forage interactions with wildlife in East Africa for an NSF CAREER Grants. The research will be concerned with statistical analysis and preparation of publications from empirical field data collected previously on the spatial dynamics of wildlife and livestock in the Maasai Mara ecosystems of Southwestern Kenya. The research will evaluate questions related to the spatial utilization, overlaps, and effects of wildlife and livestock on grazing ecology, including analysis of GPS derived cattle tracking and movements in relation to forage quality and quantity. The fellow will also work to link empirical field data (including soil physical and chemical analysis, protein content harvested from grass samples, dung counts of wildlife and livestock across spatial transects) with imagery from MODIS and other satellite imagery to compile a comprehensive dataset of biotic interactions. The fellow will also work with a diverse team of graduate students to provide experience with data entry, analysis, journal preparation, and mentoring.

The successful applicant's appointment will be the University of Michigan's School for Environment and Sustainability located in Ann Arbor, Michigan. This person will spend their on-site work time at the School for Environment and Sustainability and the Pastoralism Lab in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Remote and flexible work agreements may be made to allow for partial off-site work at a remote location.

Term-Limited: The initial appointment is for one year, with an opportunity for extension based on performance, need, and availability of funds.

Mission Statement

The School for Environment and Sustainability (https://seas.umich.edu/) is a collaborative and interdisciplinary school. Our mission includes contributing to the protection of environmental resources and the achievement of a sustainable society. We accomplish this by generating and sharing knowledge, contributing to policy, and engaging managers and stakeholders. The University of Michigan is a top-ranked public university with excellence in research and teaching. Ann Arbor, home to the University of Michigan, is a town known for arts, culture, parks and restaurants.

SEAS is committed to creating and maintaining an inclusive and equitable environment that respects diverse experiences, promotes generous listening and communications, and discourages and restoratively responds to acts of discrimination, harassment, or injustice. Our commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion is deeply rooted in our values for a sustainable and just society.

Why Work at Michigan?

In addition to a career filled with purpose and opportunity, The University of Michigan offers a competitive salary and comprehensive benefits package to help you stay well, protect yourself and your family and plan for a secure future. Benefits include:

• Generous time off
• Many choices for comprehensive health insurance
• Life insurance
• Long-term disability coverage
• Flexible spending accounts for healthcare and dependent care expenses

Responsibilities*

• Conduct data clean, entry, and analysis of wildlife-livestock competition using spatial analysis and statistical analysis/modeling, including manipulation of multiple datasets (soil, vegetation, and wildlife-livestock dung counts).
• Analyze and model animal movements in relation to forage quality and quantity
• Conduct analysis on the relationships between satellite derived indicators (e.g. MODIS NDVI) and on the ground estimates of biomass availability
• Lead publication preparation and submission to ecology, spatial analysis, and geography specialist journals.
• Assist workshop planning and networking for a conference on wildlife-livestock relationships globally.
• Present analysis and feedback to stakeholders on wildlife-livestock competition and conflict in Nairobi, Kenya, and the Maasai Mara, Narok County, Kenya.

Required Qualifications*

• A Ph.D. in Ecology, Evolutionary Biology, Vegetation Ecology, Animal Behavior, Geography, Spatial Statistics, or a similar field
• Experience with an understanding of wildlife-livestock human dynamics in drylands ecosystems (preferably East Africa)
• Experience with soil-vegetation dynamics in dryland ecosystems and/or plant-herbivore interactions
• Familiarity with data analysis and visualization in a scripting environment using R, Python, or similar software
• Experience with running simulations on supercomputer or cluster computing environments
• Strong communication skills and a demonstrated ability to work both as a team and independently

U-M EEO/AA Statement

The University of Michigan is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer.